Russia has been dropping bombs on Syria for nearly a year now in its bid to help President Bashar al-Assad win his civil war, but Tuesday marked an important first in the fighting: Russian bombers took off from a base in Iran for strikes on Aleppo and two other provinces. This marks the first time Russia has used a third country for its Syrian strikes, and "it is virtually unheard of in Iran's recent history to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks from," observes the AP. Related coverage:
- The move "is a demonstration of the growing warmth in ties between Moscow and Tehran, the Syrian government's two closest allies," reports the BBC.